Heading north from Ueno, I was on a long-distance train journey and decided to buy a station bento. I was unsure where to buy it - inside the station, within the local train gates, or perhaps inside the Shinkansen gates. Eventually, I settled on the "Shonan Kamakura Ofuneken Traditional Aji-no-Oshi Sushi" (1,450 yen) as it matched my personal taste preferences. Although it didn't quite fit the scenery outside the window, it was delicious. This shop is well-known on the Tokaido Line between Shonan and Numazu, alongside places like Tohoken and Togenken. I remembered that you can always buy it at THE GARDEN Jiyugaoka in the Seibu Department Store basement in Ikebukuro. Eating it on the train enhances the experience with the motion, the view, and most importantly, the feeling. It was a delightful meal. The shop is conveniently located near the Shinkansen transfer gate at Ueno Station. It opens early in the morning, offering a variety of bento options such as beef tongue, miso cutlet, Kinugasaba, Fukagawa Meshi, and even Kokugikan Yakitori. In evaluating such shops, it's important to consider not only the taste of the food but also the location, operating hours, and variety of offerings.

I went to Sendai for a bit. For my first meal, I got a bento box on the Shinkansen! I bought it from a bento shop in Ueno Station. Since I didn't have much time before the train, I quickly decided on the "Grilled Eel, Golden Eye Snapper, and Silver Salmon Bento Box". It's a greedy bento box with three delicious types of fish. On top of the rice, there's simmered golden eye snapper, grilled eel, and salmon marinated in miso. Not only that, the golden eye snapper has minced meat, the eel has shredded omelette, and the salmon has pickled greens as supporting characters to enhance the flavor. There's plenty of rice too, so it's quite filling. I enjoyed the three dishes with a beer as an appetizer, and finished off by eating the rice. Very satisfying!

This is a bento shop located inside JR Ueno Station's Shinkansen area. They sell a variety of bentos, mainly a bit luxurious ones that you can eat on the Shinkansen. I stopped by thinking of something for kids. It's the "Kagayaki" bento on the Shinkansen. The Kagayaki case contains onigiri, sausages, fried chicken, tamagoyaki, and other ingredients that kids would love. I actually ate it on the Shinkansen, and the kids were happily eating it. They seemed to be more interested in the case than the food, and they played with the case in their hand all the way to the final destination of Kanazawa. They were clearly very happy. I would like to go back if I have the chance.

(・_・)Blog ⇒ 【Riding on the Drifting Clouds♪】From Ueno, taking the overnight train♪When I got off, Aomori Station was covered in snow♪The crowd of people heading north♪All silent♪Only listening to the sound of the sea♪Yes, these are the lyrics of "Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki." I first heard this song when I was in elementary school. It was difficult for a 10-year-old child to understand. Not to mention, I didn't know much about Ueno or Aomori at the time. Despite that, I often found myself humming the song. Is this proof that "Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki" is a great song? Now that I'm older, I understand the lyrics a bit more... I sang this song when I was 19, like Ishikawa Sayuri... She truly deserves to be called a "songstress." As I think about these things, I board the early morning Shinkansen. Truly, the night train is the only way to truly connect with the world of the song. However, a trip to Tohoku starting from Ueno is great! Ueno was the departure and arrival station connecting to Tohoku when the lyrics were written. Nowadays, you can travel from Tokyo Station as well. But, going to Tohoku from Ueno is the way to go! Even a small gesture is unique to Ueno, right? Perhaps handmade by the employees at Ueno Station? I think I saw it during a trip to Tohoku a few years ago. It must be tough, but I hope they continue. And, as much as I'm moved by origami, my stomach won't be satisfied.↑This is common sense, so let's buy a bento♪Ueno Station is the gateway to Tohoku, and the bento shops are up early. Probably, most bento shops open in the 6 o'clock hour. There are various bento boxes lined up, making it hard to choose. In fact, I often see travelers struggling to decide before buying a bento. However, my morning bento is always onigiri... Usually, a bento that can be purchased affordably from any bento shop. It may not be enough for bento lovers... But once you arrive, there will be local gourmet waiting for you! The "onigiri bento" is just the right amount for me. Perfect for breakfast, I'd say. This time I bought this bento from "Ekiben-ya Ueno 56-gou Benten." It's in front of the escalator on the 1st floor, so be sure to stop by before heading to the platform♪☆━━━…‥・ Twisterman's Room ・‥…━━━☆・Service: ♪♪♪♪♪・Food: ♪♪♪♪♪・Value: ♪♪♪♪♪♪※A score of ♪ is full marks! (v^ー°)

Located just inside the Shinkansen ticket gates at Ueno Station, this shop is situated between a souvenir store and a bookstore. They offer a variety of bento boxes, but I decided to try their sandwiches. I opted for a combination of egg salad and chicken cutlet sandwiches. Surprisingly, it was delicious! The price was reasonable too, making it a great choice. The egg was soft and slightly sweet, while the chicken cutlet was a bit firm but flavorful. It was a good option for a light meal on the Shinkansen. It's worth stopping by for a tasty meal after getting off the train, depending on the time. I highly recommend this bento box for a quick and delicious meal!

Fukagawa Meshi... It's deep (lol). It's located on the right side after passing through the Shinkansen ticket gate at Ueno Station. I was feeling hungry and thinking about eating somewhere, but I was tired. Then I thought, why not get a station bento! I saw the words "recommended by the manager" and decided to buy it. When I opened it, there was clam rice, simmered anago (conger eel), and side dishes like egg, carrot, konjac simmered dish, pickled eggplant, and daikon (?). I started with the clam rice... There were plenty of clams in it, but it wasn't overpowering. The flavors of ginger and sansho pepper made it enjoyable to eat without being too heavy. The anago was tender, but there were only two pieces, which was a bit disappointing. I alternated between the side dishes and the clam rice. Before eating, I thought it might be plain, but I was wrong. I was quite satisfied! I finished it with Japanese tea, feeling proud to be Japanese. It was indeed a recommended station bento.

This is store number 56 located to the right after entering the Shinkansen ticket gate at Ueno Station. There is also store number 5 towards Tokyo and store number 8 towards Omiya on the Shinkansen platforms 19 and 20 below. On this day, I was planning to board the Komachi 1 departing at 6:37 am. I stopped by before heading down to the Shinkansen platform. Exclusive to Ueno Station! Ueno Bento: 1,050 yen. The package features illustrations of Saigo-san and a panda. The menu includes: Ibaraki-grown Koshihikari rice, seaweed from a long-established store in Ueno, salmon, pickled turnips, simmered vegetables, renkon lotus root pickles, Tsukuba chicken yakiniku, natto spring rolls, shiitake mushroom stuffed with meat, tamagoyaki, Hanako-maru fish cake, Hitachi beef simmered in soy sauce, and gobou Shogun. The Ueno bento, despite its name, had a lot of items from Ibaraki. This bento was made by Shimada Foods in Ibaraki, with the theme of "A journey from Mito to Ueno through food." The surprise natto spring rolls were a nice touch. When you think about it, ekiben (train station bento) isn't that good, but it somehow tastes delicious.

I always buy ekiben (station bento) following the advice of an acquaintance that "the journey doesn't start until you eat ekiben." However, I can never seem to find a delicious one. So, this time I played it safe and went with a sandwich. It was quite expensive, but I chose chicken and shrimp. I think this was the right choice. Fish varieties seem to be hit or miss. I personally think meat options are pretty good. But they are expensive! In such times, why not try buying a sandwich? In fact, maybe it would be a good idea to open a sandwich shop.

Adult Holiday Club. Jipangu, which can be joined by those aged 65 and older, has an annual fee of 4,300 yen. Middle-aged individuals aged 60 and above can join for 2,600 yen. The automatic withdrawals are executed every year without fail, but I have been simply getting charged without utilizing the benefits as I grow older. Not good! I had planned to take a break in December and resume in January after a series of trips to Sapporo from October 10th, Hong Kong from October 30th, and Kobe from November 13th. However, I realized that JR East's unlimited pass was set from November 24th for a week. I felt the urgency to go because if I didn't go now, I might never go. I don't like cold places, but after much deliberation, I decided to just go for it. Departed on December 1st. The journey began with a station bento. The first train to Shin-Hakodate on the Hayabusa departing from Ueno is at 6:30 am. I was unsure where to go. Initially, I planned to stay in Shiogama and skip Sendai, but if I left Ueno at 6:30 am, I would arrive too early and there wouldn't be any open shops. The same goes for Morioka. So, Aomori or Akita it is. Since the weather forecast for Akita was bad, I decided on Aomori. The bento I bought was the "Miyagi Sanriku Golden Route" recommended by the Miyagi Sanriku Golden Route Tourism Promotion Council. It was made by Kobayashi in Sendai. While waiting on the platform, the Komachi bound for Akita arrived first. I opened a beer after the train started moving and took a sip. The bento was lively and delicious. Scallops, Pacific saury, salmon, oysters, bamboo leaf-shaped fish cake, conger eel, tamagoyaki. A 5-hour Shinkansen ride is quite entertaining. It's the same 5 hours to Hong Kong, but it feels much longer. We have arrived at Shin-Aomori. Now, what to do. Of course, that place. I called the restaurant in Hirosaki to confirm if they were open. They said they were waiting for me, so I thought, let's go. I will arrive in Hirosaki before 11:30 am, so I can have lunch without waiting. Ueno to Hirosaki round trip 36,000 yen, East Japan Free Pass 15,000 yen. Finally, I've recouped my investment from years past, haha. From next time onwards, each trip will be a profitable journey.

I'm going to Niigata (｀･ω･´) Taking the Hokuriku Shinkansen (｀･ω･´) I buy a ticket from Ueno Station to Joetsu-Myoko Station in front of the Shinkansen ticket machine. Oh, it looks like all the unreserved seats are taken (´・ω・｀) Oh, there's a Gran Class seat available! Let's go with that♪ When I looked at the receipt that came with the ticket, it was expensive!!! (@_@) It said it would cost around 9000 yen to go there. Well, whatever. Let's buy a bento box for the journey (*´▽｀*) I pass through the Shinkansen ticket gate and arrive at the bento shop. What should I get♪ Oh! What's this?! I've never seen this before Σ(ﾟДﾟ) I'll have the "Southern French-style Bouillabaisse Rice Bento"! It comes with a Jawa Tii. A good deal♪ Let's eat the bento right away♪... Oh, and the lady came over and said with an apologetic tone, "We have light snacks and drinks available, would you like to have some?" What?! I already bought a bento (´・ω・｀) You can choose between Japanese and Western style, so I'll go with the Western style. "...Would you like a drink with that?"... Well, I already have Jawa Tii, so I'm good (´・ω・｀) So, the Gran Class is a train with a bento box included... I wish they had written that on the ticket machine... It's expensive (@_@) Anyway, let's enjoy the Bouillabaisse rice♪... Oh! It's Western! The Bouillabaisse rice is topped with olives, chicken confit, and cod-filled mashed potatoes, perfect for pairing with alcohol! Let's dig in♪... Ohhh! The rice is so flavorful with a chewy texture that doesn't seem like your typical bento box! This is delicious (*´▽｀*) I want wine! Wine! But I have Jawa Tii... The fish, chicken confit, mashed potatoes, everything in the bento box defies the conventional idea of bento boxes and is delicious! The white Jawa Tii has a refreshing taste that goes perfectly with the bento box (*´▽｀*) The sandwich served as a light snack was made with local Hokuriku ingredients and was of a high standard, but I couldn't finish it, so I quietly put it away|дﾟ) I finished the bento box neatly and oh, I wanted wine... Oh well, I realized that research and preparation are important for a trip...|дﾟ) But the Bouillabaisse rice was delicious, so it's okay (*´▽｀*) Thank you for the feast todayーーーーー!!!

Well, back at Ueno Station after the series of visits to Sendai, or rather Yamagata...! I returned to Ueno on the Yamagata Shinkansen, but actually my wife and I went our separate ways. I was wondering what to do for dinner... and it's a bit early to eat now. It's too late to cook when I get home... So, I decided to buy a bento box to take home! I got the Chicken Bento from the No. 56 store inside the Shinkansen ticket gate!! Apparently, this is a favorite of the Emperor when he rides the Shinkansen! How down-to-earth~♪ In the two-compartment bento box, the left side has chicken rice topped with scrambled eggs. The right side has chunky fried chicken, smoked cheese, and macaroni salad! It's simple but exciting! Although I usually don't like tomato-flavored chicken rice... it's delicious! I like this! Unlike chicken rice made with ketchup, this one is cooked with tomato soup so the flavor isn't sharp! Ah, so chicken rice can be delicious when cooked properly like this! The fried chicken is also delicious, of course! It's tasty even when cold, so it's perfect for bento! I previously wrote that fried chicken that tastes good even when cold is suitable for bento, but I'll correct that. Fried chicken that tastes good even when cold is the best for bento! Although I was at home, I was able to end my journey with a delicious meal! A chicken lover's chicken-filled bento! Rating: 3.5 stars.

There are three bento shops inside Ueno Station that I know of. When I go on a trip, I usually rush to buy a bento at the bento shop on the platform because I'm in a hurry. But when I think about it, there are people who are not taking the Shinkansen or who want to take their time at the bento shop. So, I thought that there might be bento shops near the Shinkansen entrance or just inside the Shinkansen gate. This time, I had a little extra time and I remembered the location from my last Shinkansen trip, so I decided to use the bento shop just inside the Shinkansen gate on the right side. One advantage of this location is that it is the only place at Ueno Station where you can also buy Tokyo souvenirs like Tokyo Banana. So, for those who have a little time, I recommend this location. The selection of bento may change at other bento shops, but that is also one of the charms. Also, the space is wider here so you can take your time to decide. There are many meat options, but I prefer a balanced meal or trying famous regional bentos from different places. So in that sense, the bento shops at Tokyo Station are more convenient. However, they do offer regional specialty bentos and the staff are always friendly, making it a great start to a journey. This time, I went for a meat bento because it's a long trip. I was considering a bento that needed to be heated, but they tend to have a strong smell and can be quite noisy, so I opted for a cold one this time. It was packed with meat and gave me energy for the day. I do wish they had some vegetable options as side dishes.

One of the joys of traveling is enjoying "station bento" - a boxed meal purchased at train stations. Many people enjoy choosing from a variety of bento options at the station shop before boarding the train. Ueno Station, once known as the "gateway to the north of Tokyo," used to be a bustling hub for various express and limited express trains. I embarked on my first solo trip from Ueno Station, taking the overnight sleeper express train "Hatsukari" after graduating from junior high school. Nowadays, with the opening of the Ueno-Tokyo Line, the number of trains starting and ending at Ueno Station has decreased. This review is about a shop located near the transfer gates from the conventional lines to the Shinkansen platforms, mainly offering products from NRE (Japan Restaurant Enterprises). They have a special bento called "Railway Schedule Bento" to commemorate the 400th issue of a magazine called "Railway Schedule Information." It is a bento that supports various railway hobby activities. It includes a large piece of seaweed for train enthusiasts, and various chicken-related dishes for photography enthusiasts. The bacon potato salad was delicious.

Ueno Ekiben-ya Ueno No. 56 Store is located to the right after passing through the Shinkansen ticket gate at Ueno Station's central exit. It is still quite a distance from the Shinkansen platform. It seems to be popular not only among those about to board the Shinkansen, but also among those getting off the Shinkansen and heading home in a hurry. In the small space, there are many types of bento boxes lined up, making it difficult to choose, but since the next customer is waiting, you can't take too long to decide. The Danish sandwich I chose from the several types of sandwiches available was made by Kobe-ya. It consisted of egg salad made with locally-raised eggs, chicken and potato salad, vegetables like lettuce and tomato, and ham sandwiched in a crispy Danish bread, which was delicious. The carefully crafted tonkatsu bento box featured aged chilled pork and panko breadcrumbs. It came with packs of lemon juice, mustard, and sauce. I had some trouble opening the sauce pack's plastic with my hands, but eventually succeeded. Even though it was cold, I found the tonkatsu to be tender and tasty.

The other night, I bought a bento box at Ueno Station for dinner before boarding the Shinkansen. I didn't think it was worth posting on Tabelog, but since this bento shop was registered, I decided to write a review. After all, if you spend money on a meal, you should write about it on Tabelog. The shop is located on the right side just after entering the Shinkansen ticket gate from the conventional line at Ueno Station. It's a small shop with a limited variety of bentos. I was in a hurry and didn't have time to browse, so I just bought the "30-item balanced" bento that caught my eye. [30-item balanced bento... 850 yen] - It contains 30 different food items for a balanced diet, which is said to be the secret to good health. - The 30 items include chicken, red fish, shrimp, radish leaves, edamame, pumpkin, kinugoshi tofu, wakame seaweed, cloud ear fungus, burdock, rice, konjac, ganko, shiitake mushrooms, bell peppers, sesame seeds, harusame (bean starch noodles), soybeans, bamboo shoots, quail eggs, sweet potatoes, maitake mushrooms, akiami shrimp, eggplant, carrots, paprika, hijiki seaweed, fuki (butterbur), aburaage (fried tofu), and lotus root. - The dishes include grilled red fish with white soy sauce, chicken with Japanese-style mustard sauce, a mixture of vegetables and shrimp with chicken mince sauce, simmered dish, lotus root kinpira, hijiki seaweed stew, harusame salad, mixed rice, vegetable rice, and sweet potato dessert. - It doesn't have any particular features or elegance as a station bento, which is one of the pleasures of traveling. - But as someone living alone due to work, it's better to eat this kind of bento if possible. - Nevertheless, the seasoning of the dishes is quite good. I think it's delicious. I might buy it again when boarding the Shinkansen from Ueno Station. But I really want to take my time and browse for bentos at places like Eki-Ekute.

After using Ginzan Onsen in Yamagata Prefecture, instead of going all the way to Tokyo Station, I found it convenient to get off at Ueno Station on my way back to Tama. I went up from the underground Shinkansen arrival platform and on the left side before heading towards the conventional lines, there is a bento shop called Ueno No. 56 Ekiben Store. It's located next to a shop selling souvenirs. Since it was already dinner time, I bought a bento here for an easy meal at home tonight. I got the Miso Katsu and Hitsumabushi-style bento for 1,200 yen, and my companion got the 30-item balanced bento for 850 yen. The Miso Katsu had a thick sauce and the Hitsumabushi-style eel could have had a bit more, but considering the price of eel, it was understandable. The bento had a good amount of food and could be enjoyed twice. The 30-item balanced bento was nice because the ingredients were listed on the wrapping paper, so we could see what we were eating. It was a satisfying bento with a variety of items.

Ueno Station is the northern gateway. While the Tohoku Shinkansen also departs from Tokyo, starting from Ueno feels more pleasant. I bought a bento box at the station store. The Akita Shinkansen 15th Anniversary Bento costs 1,100 yen. It includes grilled salmon with salt, pickled butterbur sprouts, grilled Hinai chicken, simmered burdock root, fried skate wing, flying fish cake tempura, mushroom tempura, red bell pepper, simmered vegetables (taro, bamboo shoots, carrots, burdock root, butterbur, and bracken with jun-sai sauce), mountain vegetable soy sauce pickles (tofu skin), rice (Akita Komachi organic rice from contract cultivation farmers in Akita Prefecture), pickled plum, and smoked herring. The content is full of Tohoku's local colors. "Bakke" refers to butterbur sprouts. The pale green flower buds that peek out from the snow hold special meaning for people in the north. It was delicious. I apologize for incorrectly writing "bokke" instead of "bakke" in the text.

I boarded the Hokuriku Shinkansen "Kagayaki" at 10:02 am on Saturday. I bought a highball at the convenience store and they had a microwave outside where I warmed up the yakitori from "Kokugikan Yakitori". I never thought I would be eating yakitori on the Shinkansen. The meal consisted of 3 yakitori skewers and 2 tsukune skewers. The flavor was well soaked in the sauce, more like "soaked chicken" than grilled chicken. I wonder why it's called Kokugikan? There is a yakitori factory, the largest in Japan, in the basement of the Ryogoku Kokugikan. Thank you for the meal. Posted on the "Kagayaki" train.

My Tokyo souvenir is definitely this! You can find it at Tokyo Station or Ueno Station, so don't worry! But when I went to buy it on my way back, it was sold out! I'm disappointed. I should have asked them to reserve it for me before leaving... Regretting not doing it in advance. However, there's still a sign with the product on it, so maybe there's more in the back? Because other sold-out items had their signs removed. When I asked the staff, they said, "There's nothing else hidden in the back. It's only available here." Disappointed. Wait, did they just say, "It's only available here?" What does that mean? I changed my angle of view and found it! There was one box hidden behind the sign! Hooray! Hooray! To make sure the person behind me doesn't buy it, I loudly said, "Um, one box of Kokugikan Yakitori, please!" Kokugikan Yakitori - 700 yen (tax included). I usually enjoy this with a canned beer on the Shinkansen, but this time, I'll have it after returning home because there's a bento from Sakuraya available. When I got home and showed my loot to my companion, they showed the least interest. Oh well! I consider it one of the top two items, though. When I opened it, my companion silently placed a chicken leg skewer on top of the Yokohama fried rice. They must be secretly thrilled, right? I smirked. The contents are: 3 pieces of regular meat and 2 tsukune. I've had it warmed up before, but I actually prefer it cold. It's sweet and just the right size! I think five pieces would be great too. I can't help but feel a lingering desire for a little more. This time, I'm having it with the Sakuraya bento, so I'm completely satisfied! It was delicious. Thank you for the meal.